Improvement in printers  furniture



BENJAMIN B. BLACKWELL, OF JAMAICA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTERS FURNITURE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,425, dated August29, 1871.

To all whom it 'may concern: l

Be it known that I, BENJAmN B. BLAoKwELL, of Jamaica, Queens county, inthe State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMeans for Holding Stereotype and Electrotype Plates for Printing inNewspaper Columns; and I hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to theaccompanying drawing which forms part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination of a iianged holdin g-plate,(one or more,) an ordinary column-rule, (one or more,) a stereotype orelectrotype plate, and a block or bed upon which to transiently restsuch stereotype or electrotype plate, whereby, in the printing ofnewspapers from unblocked stereotype or electrotype plates, a greatsaving in the printers furniture or paraphernalia necessary in suchcases is effected.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a face view of a printers formwherein stereotype plates are held to their blocks by means of myimproved holding-plates. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.Fig. 3 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 2.

A A designate the beds or blocks upon which the stereotype plates B Brest and are supported. C G are the holding-plates or rules, which Iterm flanged holding-plates. The upper edges a of these plates are bentover at an angle, so that when one side is placed against the block uponwhich the stereotype plate rests said deflected edge or flange `willenter V-shaped grooves b in the edges of said stereotype plates, asshown in Fig. 2, or will overlap downwardly-beveled edges of suchplates. I prefer, however, to provide the side edges of the stereotypeplates with grooves b, because this construction admits of theimpression-surfaces of adj acent plates being brought close together. Dl) represent colinnn-rules of the ordinary construction, one of which isplaced between two .holding-plates, C C, the same as it would be betweentwo colinnns of type or up against the right and left-handholding-plates in a form where outsidev column-rules for the page' aredesired.

I am aware of the fact that in a pending application (led by A. J. H.Duganne) for a patent there is described a column-rule which is providedwith grooves in its sides, into which are slid the stereotype plates,and I will here remark that such a rule must necessarily be made quitethick in order to admit of sufficiently deep grooves being made in it onexactly opposite sides to receive the edges of adjacent stereotypeplates; and further than this, where such rule is used it becomesimpossible to leave more than a certain positive blank space upon thepaper, between the printing and the colinnn-rule line, whereas with myinvention justifying column-strips may be crowded in between theholding-plates O C and column-rule D, and hence permit adjusting fordifferent widths of columns toany extent desired 5 and furthermore, whenit is desired to use heavy or full-faced column-rules, as in the caseofthe death of a prominent person, my invention permits the ordinaryrules being withdrawn and removed, or full-faced ones being quickly slidin between the holding-plates G. ThisI cannot be accomplished where thegrooved column-rules are used without removing such rules as are adaptedfor ordinary use and substituting in their places the same style ofrules specially constructedwith a full or broad face for the purpose.And besides all this, my improved holding-plates enable the publisher tostill use the ordinary column-rules in his possession and previously inuse in his paper, and the cost of my improved holding-plates is merelynominal as compared with the grooved column-rules.

It will, therefore, be seen that I effect the desired result-that ofholding loose or unblocked stereotype plates to their blocks or beds bymeans of Banged holding-plates, the flanged or deflected parts of whicheither enter grooves in the edges ofthe stereotype plates or overlapbeveled edges of saidplates-and I employ the ordinary column-rule forimprinting the column-lines on the paper. This is quite the reverse ofthe operation of the grooved column-rules above referred to; there theedges of the stereotype plate slide in a groove in the rule, and therule is provided with a column-line impression-edge.

And I accomplish many advantages by my invention; for instance, a greatsaving in the first cost of the devices and a simplifying of suchdevices; the column-width-adjusting feature, the quick changing ofcolunmrules with one style of face to those With another style of face;greatan ordinary column-rule, a loose stereotype or er facility inadjusting the devices so that they eleetrotype plate7 and its block orbed, substan` Will remain in true position during the lockingtially asand for the purposes herein specified.

up operation. BENJAMIN B. BLAOKWELL.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to Witnesses: secure by LettersPatent, is- A. SmNEY DOANE,

The combination of a flanged holding-plate with JOHN H. MEEKER.

